Hina Matsuri a.k.a. Doll's Festival

We have had an unusually warm winter this year, and there is hardly any snow on the ground anymore, and hints of spring can be found here and there. Before the sakura blossoms in early or mid-April, Takayama city also has something to offer, at a time when the temperature during the day is more suited for taking a stroll outdoors. What I am referring to is the Hinamatsuri,  or Doll's Day, which falls on March 3, a festival celebrated throughout Japan, but one month later in Takayama than in other places because spring comes late here.  In Takayama, the festival will run for more than a month, from March 1 to April 3, during which dolls representing a range of roles, including emperor, empress and musicians, in beautiful traditional court dress will be displayed in a variety of locations within the city. Don't miss your chance to take a close look at these beautifully dressed dolls as they will only be on display within the specified period. Try to discover them while taking a stroll in town. Don't count on people offering a longer display as superstition has it that leaving the dolls beyond April 4 will lead to a late marriage of a daughter: who would want that?